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Friday, February 28, 2014

Just keep swimming…

I’m not quite sure why I haven’t blogged in so long. So much has been going on and yet at the same time, it feels like nothing has happened. Sometimes I don’t blog because I’ve had a crummy day, and honestly, unless it’s dog-dragging-me-across-the-front-lawn funny… who wants to read about a crummy day? Sometimes I don’t blog because I am already overwhelmed by my to-do list and blogging just adds to it. Sometimes I don’t blog because the days have been… mundane… and what’s a blog without some interesting stories? The last little while has been a mixture of all of these reasons.

For those who missed it- we are expecting baby #9 near the end of June. This is incredibly exciting news for us. I will possibly go into more detail another time, but let’s just say that this baby is a very welcome, but also very unexpected blessing. Now to say that I’ve been sick would be accurate, but for me (and my history of very limited morning sickness) it almost seems like an understatement. Going into the 21st week now and I’m ready to be done with the sick and exhausted part. I must say, the older girls have been a huge help. The fact that their cooking skills have surpassed oatmeal and PB & J sandwiches… also helps. Tonight I was feeling super exhausted and Keona made a massive garden salad while she chatted on the phone with a friend. “Oh, you know… just making dinner for 10.” Did I mention that these older girls get more phone calls, emails, and snail mail than Scott and I combined?

What was that about homeschoolers being unsocialized?…

Anywho… So that explains the boring part. We haven’t been doing a ton of fun outings or family trips. I haven’t been taking many pictures. At all. Other than my 365 I have had going on Instagram. Even then, you will notice a lot of them in the same room, being taken from the same spot… Yeah, that’s because I’ve been spending a lot of time on the couch.

As if that wasn’t enough, my poor hubby has a nasty hernia which has him pretty much couch/bed bound when he isn’t working. He was given a 5 minute standing limit by the doctor (which he refuses to abide by for work) and a surgery date in March. I really can’t complain about our health care system, and so I’ll just be thankful that it isn’t something more serious that we were waiting 3 months on an operation for.

So we are swimming along. Every time I start to get discouraged by the things that aren’t getting done, or the things that neither of us can physically do right now, Scott reminds me that in four months I will be holding my baby and none of this will matter. He knows how to put a smile on my face. Also, this is what I wake up to on Monday morning…

In other news… My Lily-Beth isn’t a baby anymore! This girl is a full sentence-using toddler. Her newest phrase, “OK, Mama. Fine.” Used when she doesn’t really want to obey, but she knows that saying no isn’t an option. She will play Little People all. day. long. Seriously- best investment ever! She brings me a person and says, “You play people too?” She likes to be the mom. So I take advantage of that and make outrageous requests as her “baby.”

“Can I have some juice, please?”

“Oh no… I wanted grape juice.”

“Can I have a snack?”

“But I don’t like apples!”

She is the most patient mother ever. Thankfully she doesn’t copy these examples outside of our game. ;)

I forgot to mention food. She always has to have some sort of food as well. Thankfully she’ll eat just about anything so it isn’t usually a problem!

Can I just say that I LOVE the two year old stage? We always have some issues when the kids are 1 to deal with…teething, testing boundaries, sleep schedules… but by the time they’re two they understand so much more and are able to communicate so well.

Two year olds are awesome when they know what’s consistently expected and accepted!

Her other favourite sentence, “I want to cuddle wit you!” She mostly says this to Scott when she snuggles up beside him on the couch. Lately he has Lily on one side and Ella on the other side. No wonder he wants another girl!

School is still going. We just finished the first semester and I have grade reports galore to fill out. No field trips recently, but we can catch up on those later.

God is good. I’m not sure why He has Scott and I both out of commission at the same time, but it must be for a reason. He has continually provided the strength when necessary for us to get our jobs done. So how could I not be thankful?

We definitely don’t need pity, we are managing as much as we need to- but if you think to pray for us, that means a lot!

Hoping for a more interesting and picture-filled blog post soon!

Had to include Ella’s drawing of her and Scott going out together. Gotta love how she sees his arms… :)